They couldn't find their car keys. Then they made this terrifying escape through the fire.

WARNING: Video contains some profanity.
Andre Epstein and Neda Monshat were caught off guard by the rapidly spreading wildfire in Mendocino County early Monday morning. They had to scramble to get to safety and ended up driving through dangerous fire conditions on Tomki Road.

Media: Andre Epstein, Neda Monshat

Andre Epstein and Neda Monshat woke up to a banging on their door around 1:30 a.m. Monday.

It was one of their neighbors in Redwood Valley, a close-knit ranch community in Mendocino County, alerting them to a wildfire that was cresting a nearby hill and heading towards their home.

"We had no idea. It was the first we heard about it," said Epstein.

The married couple quickly packed up their things, taking only the essentials: their dog Jango, their laptops, and some immigration paperwork. Monshat is Australian and is applying for American citizenship.

Five minutes later, a caravan of their neighbors was ready to leave. But the two couldn't find their car keys.

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So they waved on their neighbors, telling them to go ahead, thinking they'd follow right behind.

Then began a 20 minute frantic search for the car keys, as high winds blew hot ash and embers into their front yard.

"The worst part wasn't the drive," said Monshat, though we'll get to that part in a minute. "It was looking for the keys. We looked up every few minutes and saw the fire blowing towards us."

The couple briefly considered their chances of making it out on foot, before finally finding the car keys, loading up Jango and taking off.

A screenshot from the video shows the dangerous conditions Andre Epstein and Neda Monshat drove through to escape the wildfire early Monday morning.

A screenshot from the video shows the dangerous conditions Andre Epstein and Neda Monshat drove through to escape the wildfire early Monday morning.

Photo: Andre Epstein, Neda Monshat

Photo: Andre Epstein, Neda Monshat

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A screenshot from the video shows the dangerous conditions Andre Epstein and Neda Monshat drove through to escape the wildfire early Monday morning.

A screenshot from the video shows the dangerous conditions Andre Epstein and Neda Monshat drove through to escape the wildfire early Monday morning.

Photo: Andre Epstein, Neda Monshat

They couldn't find their car keys. Then they made this terrifying escape through the fire.

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The neighbors had planned to regroup at Eagle Peak Middle School in Redwood Valley, so when Epstein and Monshat got to the main outlet, Tomki Road, they headed south toward the freeway. Little did they know, the rest of the group had gotten word it wasn't safe to drive south and had turned north.

"We wouldn't have considered that way. It's a remote road with several creek crossings. At times, you need four-wheel drive. We didn't even consider going that way," Epstein said.

"We just drove around for an hour or two where it wasn't burning, not knowing what to do, just sort of in a daze," said Monshat.

They decided to stay the night in a hotel, where they tracked local news coverage and listened to police scanners, not able to sleep.

Since their terrifying escape early Monday morning, the couple has been staying with family in Ukiah, a city further south in Mendocino County. They want to go back to their ranch to see what's left, but the fire hasn't stopped burning and evacuated residents aren't yet being allowed to return.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Mendocino Lake Complex Fire had burned more than 32,000 acres and was only 5 percent contained.

"I think everyone from our ranch is still in a bit of a daze because we haven't been able to go back and really see it. Even though we know it's gone, it gives you a sense of finality to see it and we haven't been able to," said Epstein.

"Until then, we're in this kind of limbo."

The couple was renting their Redwood Valley home, so they're not sure if the landowner will decide to rebuild. If given the opportunity, the two would like to live in the close community once again.

"We want to live out there. That's the thing we keep thinking. We don't even care about the stuff. Everything can be rebuilt. It's all salvageable," Monshat said. "The thing you really miss is your life. You had all these neighbors around, people you see every day."

Epstein agreed. If the community decides to rebuild, they'll be there to help.